Recognizing the problem is part of the solution.

This year marks the 25th year of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, initiated in 1991 and coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. Given such insecurity and lack of safety in relation to education, and informed by the results of a global survey, the theme of the 16 Days Campaign is “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All”. This theme recognizes that structural discrimination and inequality is perpetuated in a cycle of violence that does not end even when girls and young women are in the act of gaining an education. Safe education for all means women should feel happy to acquire any form of education, but this is still a problem in my country Sierra Leone, stakeholders who are in the educational sector are not paying attention to the abuses women face in the process.

As a young girl going to school, I used be so scared not to be spotted by a male teacher who will use his power to lure me into having sex with him in order to keep me in the system. Even though I was so intelligent but I was naïve that if anything like that happens he will make life and school difficult for me. For certain I know around 60% of girls in sierra Leone will tell you about their bitter experience while going to school.

This has created a bad image for younger girls who are acquiring secondary and tertiary education, they now accept the unsafe environment not putting up any resistance. Girls without option will now seduce their teachers to get grades and favors, and this is tarnishing the characters of women.This has reduce the standard of education for girls in Sierra Leone, They are more concerned about their looks rather than brains. And even when a woman works hard and succeed their successes will not be perceived as hard.

But in my opinion, this can only stop when girls recognize that these problem will not go away by keeping quiet or compromises.Also there should be strong policy to protect women and girls in the process of gaining education. And finally parents should be open to talk to their girls about abuses,harassment and sex issues in school, as this will help girls to confidently face such issues with strength if they ever arise.